1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an undermount-type sliding apparatus having an automatic closing device.
2. Background Art
In general, a sliding apparatus refers to an apparatus that enables a drawer-like receptacle, such as a piece of furniture, a refrigerator or a variety of storage boxes, in which a variety of articles is contained, to slide to a closed or open position. The sliding apparatus is disposed on the inner wall side of a space of the body of a piece of furniture, a refrigerator, and boxes, in which the receptacle is housed, and the opposite side of the receptacle such that the receptacle can slide by making rolling contact. The receptacle on which the sliding apparatus is mounted can then be slid on the sliding apparatus in the space of the body so as to be opened or closed, so that items or material can be put in the receptacle. Specifically, the receptacle is connected to the body via the sliding apparatus such that it can smoothly slide on the sliding apparatus that carries out the rolling motion when the receptacle is opened or closed.
A typical undermount-type sliding apparatus is divided into a double-rail structure and a triple-rail structure. The double-rail structure includes movable rails disposed on opposite lower sides of a receptacle, fixed rails on inner wall sides of a body, each of the fixed rails having a plurality of raceways, and sliding member disposed on each raceway to be in rolling contact with a corresponding movable rail, such that the movable rails slide on the sliding member along the raceways. The triple-rail structure further includes an intermediate rail between the fixed mil and the movable rail, the intermediate rail acting as a raceway, such that the movable rail slides along the intermediate rail.
The typical undermount-type sliding apparatus is configured such that the receptacle can be slid to be opened or closed. When a user applies force in a closing direction to close the receptacle, the receptacle slides on the sliding apparatus so that it is inserted into the space of the body and is then closed. At this time, when excessive force greater than that necessary for closing the receptacle is applied, the receptacle collides with the body when it is closed and may be opened again due to the repulsive force of impact that is caused by the collision.
Therefore, currently being worked on is the development of an automatic closing device for the undermount-type sliding apparatus that can automatically close a receptacle using elastic force when the receptacle is to be closed.
An automatic closing device that is provided in a undermount-type sliding apparatus of the related art includes a housing, which is disposed on a fixed rail, a movable member and an elastic member. A damper that smoothens the motion of the movable member may be optionally included. The housing is disposed on the fixed rail in a position where the movable rail ends, and has defined therein a through-hole which guides the movable member. The through-hole has a curved portion, which is formed in an open position of the movable rail, and a linear portion, which is formed in a closed side, connected to the curved portion in the opening position. The movable member is disposed inside the housing in a position where the movable rail is pulled, and moves in the state in which it is inserted into the through-hole. The elastic member is disposed inside the housing such that it elastically supports the movable member.
In the automatic closing device of the related art, the movable member is elastically supported and is positioned on the curved portion of the through-hole in the state of the elastic member being stretched when the receptacle is opened. The motion in the closed receptacle causes the movable rail, which is caught by the movable member, to be pulled by the elastic force of the elastic member, so that the receptacle is automatically closed. When the movable rail is pulled, the movable member moves from the curved portion to the linear portion of the through-hole, and is then guided to move along the linear portion. When the receptacle is operated to open, the movable mil moves toward the curved portion of the through-hole by pulling the movable member, so that the movable rail is released from the caught state, and the movable member is positioned on the curved portion of the through-hole, with the elastic member being stretched.
In addition, in the automatic closing device of the related art, when the receptacle is operated again to be opened after having been automatically closed, the movable rail is pulled by the movable rail of the receptacle and is then positioned to be inserted into the curved portion of the through-hole, and the catching caused by the automatic closing of the receptacle is released by rotation of the movable member. At this time, in the state in which the movable member is not completely inserted into the curved portion of the through-hole, when the receptacle is excessively forced in the opening direction, the movable member may be subjected to collision or clogging at the curved portion inside the through-hole. Consequently, the movable member stops operating at the clogged position or is operated to return to the linear portion instead of being positioned on the curved portion. Even after being operated to return, a state of malfunction in which the movable member refuses to operate again may persist.
The automatic closing device of the related art, which does not operate due to the foregoing malfunction, may be returned to the state in which it can operate again by forced operation of the movable rail. In the forced operation of the movable rail, the through-hole is elastically deformed so that the movable member can be returned to the state in which it can operate again inside the through-hole. In order for the through-hole to be elastically deformed, an elastic deformation hole, which communicates in part with the through-hole, is required. The elastic deformation hole is formed like the through-hole of the housing, and communicates in part with the through-hole. The size of the elastic deformation hole increases when the movable member passes through it, so that the movable member, which malfunctions, can be put in the operable state. When the movable member is positioned in the operable state, the through-hole can return to the original size, since the elastic deformation hole is elastically deformed.
Specifically, when the movable mil is forced toward the automatic closing device, which does not operate in the event of a malfunction, it moves toward the closed position in the state in which it is caught by the movable member, and is returned by elastic deformation from the position of the elastic deformation hole to the original position in which the movable member is operable. After having returned to its original position, the through-hole is returned to the operable size by elasticity, so that the automatic closing device can normally operate.
However, the automatic closing device of the related art has a problem in that its strength is easily decreased due to a fracture that easily occurs at the position of the hole during the operation or by external impact, since the through-hole for guiding the movable member and the elastic deformation hole communicating in part with the through-hole are formed as a hole in the housing and the movable member is inserted into the hole.
In addition, as the movable member is inserted into and moves along the through-hole of the housing so that it is guided by the curved portion and the linear portion, a protrusion is inserted into and moves in contact with the hole. A fracture occurs due to friction with the protrusion, and a pressing force is continuously applied to the hole and the protrusion under the elastic force of the elastic member. Consequently, there are the problems of its shape being deformed and fracturing.
Furthermore, when the automatic closing device malfunctions, it escapes from the malfunctioning position while being elastically deformed at the position where the through-hole communicates with the elastic deformation hole. Therefore, the movable member is elastically deformed while being forcibly transported between the two holes, so that the impact of the elastic deformation is concentrated on a specific portion, which is then deformed and fractures.